BIND 4.0

The open innovation platform for startups and leading companies of Industry 4.0

We connect, we advise and we train disruptive startups and benchmark companies in the industry to develop open innovation projects. Thanks to BIND 4.0, you will speed up innovation, your access to the market, the digital transformation and the growth of your company and startup.

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About

BIND 4.0 grows companies and innovative startups by working together

BIND 4.0 is the open innovation space connecting and advising startups and internationally renowned leading companies based in the Basque Country. The aim is to foster growth, transformation and the evolution of smart industry, clean and sustainable energy, and the health and food sectors.

"Six successful editions with over 190 accelerated startups, 70 partner companies and over 270 projects implemented"

Previous edition figures:

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participating startups

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leading partner companies
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total turnover

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of the startups continue working with the partner company

Who it is for

Disruptive startups

If you have developed a solution capable of revolutionizing the industry of tomorrow and you want to grow in one of the world-leading Industry 4.0 ecosystems, this is your space. We are looking for innovative technological startups from around world to implement their projects and accelerate the innovation of the benchmark corporations of the Basque Country.

Conecta con BIND 4.0 aquí

Companies

Open innovation through startups is a successful and flexible pathway in industrial innovation. If you are from the smart industry, clean and sustainable energy, and food and health sectors, this is the programme for you to discover and implement the most cutting-edge technologies, learn about the success stories of your ecosystem and receive advice from experts for the most appropriate solutions for your business.

Conecta con BIND 4.0 aquí

If you are a startup,
you can…

Connect to the Industry 4.0 innovation ecosystem: Access benchmark companies based in the Basque Country and take part in Networking activities with the Industry 4.0 open innovation ecosystem.

Get your first customers: Develop your innovative technology working with the leading companies of the sector and check its feasibility on the market. All the participants will get one or more contracts.

Receive expert advice: Over 40 mentors specialised in company acceleration, market strategies for new Industry 4.0 technologies, innovation and entrepreneurship.

And access investors, financing sources, grants and work space at the BICs - Basque Business Innovation Centres.

Connect to BIND 4.0 here

If you are an innovative company,
you can…

Be connected to open innovation and corporate venturing: Thanks to steered events and dynamics, you will learn about the sector’s success stories of value for your company, and you can share experiences and compare expertise.

Obtain a startup assessment: Access to a platform where you can discover and learn about the most disruptive and successful technologies on the market and assess how their solutions can help you to improve your processes.

Contract the best technologies: Identify the technologies that you need and contract the startups of greatest interest for your business, by means of a venture client partnership.

Improve your competitiveness: By incorporating ground-breaking solutions in your company, developed by innovative startups to be implemented directly and quickly in your processes.

Access training and skills-building: Workshops designed to connect startups and companies, thus helping to create a collaborative framework that ensures the success of the joint work.

Connect to BIND 4.0 here

About the platform

This is how it works

It is an open innovation platform that facilitates the access of startups to the market through leading benchmark companies based in the Basque Country. The aim is to develop disruptive projects with new technologies to make companies more competitive and accelerate the transformation of industry.

Phases of the programme

1_

Call for startups and project pre-selection

July - September

Opening of the call for startups from around the world to submit their proposals and present their disruptive technological solutions.

2_

Shortlisting participants

September - January

The pre-selected startups present their solutions to the BIND 4.0 trail-blazing companies that choose the finalists that best adapt to their needs to participate in the programme.

3_

Acceleration programme

January - June

Programme for the startups that have obtained one or more contracts with our corporate clients. Sessions with expert mentors, networking and contact with investors, at the same time as implementing their projects with the clients.

4_

Call for corporate partner companies

March

Innovative companies from the fields of smart industry, clean and sustainable energy, health and food can apply to take part in the programme.

5_

Project presentation

July

Unique event which connects the whole innovation and investment industrial ecosystem to present the projects develop by the startups in conjunction with the partner companies.

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Why BIND 4.0?

An internationally renowned programme

Since 2016, BIND 4.0 has been the internationally renowned platform, promoted by the Basque Government through the SPRI Group to support the transformation of industry and enhance its competitiveness by means of startups with cutting-edge technological solutions.

The open innovation platform ensures the implementation of innovative projects in companies, with ground-breaking technologies from startups. It also offers advice and training to enhance the benefits of open innovation and to drive the growth of startups with real projects and benchmark clients.

Advantages

6 reasons to take part in BIND 4.0

  • Being part of the largest Open Innovation network
  • Connecting with Industry and the leading startups in Industry 4.0
  • Learning to innovate with companies
  • Validating your technology with major clients
  • Access to the best disruptive technologies on the market
  • Expert advice and training in acceleration and innovation
Frequently Asked Questions

Solve your doubts

BIND 4.0 is a public-private initiative, an open innovation platform that provides targeted business services and creates mutually beneficial collaborations between disruptive startups and innovative companies. BIND 4.0 has an annual startup acceleration program aimed at startups with tech products or services that solve relevant problems in the digital transformation of Intelligent Industry, Clean Energy & Sustainability, Health and Food Industries. Additionally, our Open Innovation platform provides services to large companies in their digital transformation journey.

Early stage and “idea phase” projects will not be accepted into this program. BIND 4.0 is addressed to startups in the Industry 4.0 field that have finished their technological development and are ready to launch their product/service on the market.

Yes, Startups must be legally established, have finished their technological development and be prepared to launch on the market or have recently entered the marketplace.

No. Startups from any country can participate.

  • Startups register by filling out the application form, active July 7 – Sept 10 2021
  • Every team will be asked to send a video where founders introduce their startup. Other attachments that provide additional information (demos, presentation, etc.) may also be considered
  • Applications must be sent in English, using the application form on our site
Apply here

We are looking for innovative technology startups from all over the world, who want to develop their projects and accelerate the innovation of large benchmark companies in the Basque Country.

If you are a disruptive startup interested in this initiative, please complete this form.


  • SPRI-Basque Business Development Agency, as data controller, collects your personal data for the provision of services related to our programmes and services. You are entitled to withdraw your consent at any time, object to the processing, access, rectify and delete your data, as well as other rights, by sending an e-mail to the address lopd@spri.eus. You can also find the additional and detailed information on Data Protection in the Privacy Policy section. By clicking "Send" you consent to the processing of your data in the terms indicated.

Doubts? Call us.

This is the Basque company's customer service line

Call us at: 900 929 393

Ask us here
The strategy

Accelerating innovation by means of collaboration between organisations and startups

BIND 4.0 is the public-private open innovation platform for smart industry created by the Basque Government's Ministry for Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment through the SPRI Group and its Up!Euskadi platform of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Basque Country. It is currently working with 100 of the sector's leading benchmark companies based in the Basque Country.

This initiative started with the tripe goal of accelerating the development of the startups in the Basque industrial ecosystem, of fostering the digital transformation of companies and of positioning the Basque Country's ecosystem as an advanced industrial entrepreneurship hub. Since 2016, BIND 4.0 has driven 200 startups and implemented 290 projects, generating a turnover of over €7.5 million.

BIND 4.0 has three initiatives to innovate and respond to the new technological challenges.

  • BIND 4.0: Open innovation and acceleration for corporations and startups. Full information here.
  • BIND 4.0 SME Connection: Open innovation technological challenges for SMEs and startups. Full information here.
  • BIND 4.0 Govtech: Open innovation technological challenges for the Public Administration and startups.